Travelers executive vice president and chief administrative officer Andy Bessette knows from experience what Day dealt with at the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Wash.

"I had benign positional vertigo for five years," Bessette said. "You're dizzy, vomiting. It wipes you out. And you need a day, at least, to recover from a bout of it."

Day collapsed on the ninth hole (his 18th) in the second round of the U.S. Open. After he hit his tee shot into a bunker at the par-3 hole, he fell to the ground. Medical personnel arrived. He was on his back while they checked his condition.

After a few minutes he got up. He was woozy. He hit out of the bunker and two-putted for a bogey.

"When I saw him go down, I thought I'd get a call that night that he'd WD," Travelers tournament director Nathan Grube said. "Then on Saturday he goes out and shoots a 68. Amazing. I talked to his agent, Bud Martin, that night and he said Jason was planning to play in Cromwell."

Sifford, winner of the 1967 Greater Hartford Open, died at 92 on Feb. 3. Four days later Casper, winner...

"I was taken by the fact that so many people supported me," Day said. "I really made a lot of Jason Day fans out there this week, even though it didn't end up the way I wanted it to end up. I fought a good fight. And I think everybody that watched the telecast knows that I never gave up."

Grube was astounded. "When I saw what he did I said, 'I can't believe he's doing this,'" he said.

Bessette said, "Jason had to play on all heart, will and determination. I know for me, vertigo knocked me down. I was able to be treated, and I'm good now. I should recommend my doctor to him."

Grube said he received official notification Monday morning from the PGA Tour that Day had withdrawn from the Travelers, which starts Thursday at TPC River Highlands.

"We've never focused our attention on selling our tournament on only one player," Grube said. "We have a quality field that we're proud of."

Grube couldn't help but wonder what Day would have done if he — not Spieth — had won the U.S. Open.

"I think Jason would have come here with the trophy for our fans because he was the U.S. Open champion and then maybe WD later," Grube said. "He said he loves this tournament. But we truly understand him not being here with everything he has had to deal with and continues to deal with. We look forward to having him back next year."

In his previous two appearances in the Travelers, Day tied for 27th in 2008 and tied for 18th last year.